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I am torn between two cities
Knoxville, TN and Lexington, KY
I have an opportunity to take a job in Lexington, KY to run a location of my company. I do not have an immediate opportunity to move directly to Knoxville, TN but may within the next year for the same thing.
Between the two cities what are some major pros and cons, specifically of Lexington, KY since I know a bit more about Knoxville...
Lexington is much more unique. In fact, it's like no other city in America. Why? Because of the horse industry. The horse farms surrounding Lexington are beyond beautiful. This does not exist anywhere else!! Lexington is much better planned than Knoxville that's for sure. Lexington is more progressive and cleaner as well.
Horse farms are all well & good to look at while driving by, but that doesn't help the average person looking to relocate who are looking for actual substance.
I like Lex, but having spent a lot of time in both areas, I'd honestly say Knoxville is more of a real city & has more to offer the average joe. Lex for the most part is a glorified strip mall college town & has little identity. Sorry, not trying to start a fight, but its true. Knox also has a much higher population & more diversity, if thats your thing.
Plus, and this is sad, but a lot of people here prob have a negative bias towards Knoxville just because UT is there, so I dont know how much I'd trust some opinions in this particular forum. Many Cats fans step that kinda stuff up a notch & take it to another level. Again, sorry, just being real about it.
Neither place holds any kind of special place in my heart, but if I HAD to choose, pound for pound, I'd choose Knoxville.
Actually according to this very site, Knoxville has about 100,000 people LESS then Lexington.
This isn't really true. Lexington-Fayette County has a merged government, which means that the entire county population is taken into consideration. Knoxville is just one city in Knox County.
According to the 2008 estimates, the population in Fayette County is about 280,000. The population in Knox County is about 380,000 even though 200,000 of those people don't reside within the city limits of Knoxville. So while Lexington is technically bigger than Knoxville on paper, it's only because of the merged government.
Lexington-Fayette County has a merged government, which means that the entire county population is taken into consideration. Knoxville is just one city in Knox County.
So while Lexington is technically bigger than Knoxville on paper, it's only because of the merged government.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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First, for the population stuff...
Lexington has a merged population with a county of 285 sq miles and a population density of 1,000 person per sq mile. Knoxville has a separate city population (171 k) in a county of 508 sq miles with a population density of 752 persons per sq mile.
Knoxville has a metro population of 750,000 & a CSA of 1 million. Lexington's is very undercounted IMO, I like a true metro population of 630,000 with a CSA of 700,000 - that makes K'ville larger on both counts.
K'ville feels more like a tradition American city with its 8 lane freeways, Lexington has no true urban freeways but has the largest urban highway I've ever seen (Nicholasville Rd). I like Lex's skyline and downtown a little better than K'ville.
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